Resources & Services

• Library Catalog
• Virtual Reference Form
• Reference Services
• Interlibrary Loan
• Electronic Resources
• Internet and Computer Workstation Policy
• Genealogy & Local History
• Government Documents
• Other Collections
• Special Resources & Services
• Online Book Clubs

Interlibrary Loan

If we don't have the book or article you need, we can request it for you through our interlibrary loan system.  The material will be delivered to Troy Public Library for you.  Please ask at the Information Desk for assistance.

Genealogy and Local History

Our Troy Room Collection contains hundreds of books, pamphlets, and other local history and genealogy documents. Works by local authors, Troy City Directories, local newspapers, family histories, and census records are all part of this valuable collection. The library also subscribes to three genealogy research databases: Ancestry Library Edition, HeritageQuest Online, and Jewish Data.

Ancestry® Library Edition, one of the most important genealogical collections available today, has unparalleled coverage of the U.S. and the U.K., including census, vital, church, court, and immigration records, as well as record collections from Canada and other areas. The Ancestry Library Edition collection has approximately 4,000 databases including key collections such as U.S. federal census images and indexes from 1790 to 1930; the Map Center containing more than 1,000 historical maps; American Genealogical Biographical Index (over 200 volumes), Daughters of the American Revolution Lineage (over 150 volumes), The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1630, Social Security Death Index, WWI Draft Registration Cards, Federal Slave Narratives, and a strong Civil War collection.

Ancestry Library Edition is available only on computers in the library.

HeritageQuest Online is an essential collection of unique material for both genealogical hobbyists and professionals, with coverage dating back to the late 1700s. HeritageQuest Online combines digital, searchable images of U.S. federal census records with the digitized version of the popular UMI® Genealogy & Local History collection and other valuable content. Along with U.S. federal census images and indexes from 1790 to 1930, HeritageQuest Online offers more than 20,000 book titles, including nearly 8,000 family histories and over 12,000 local histories, in addition to the more than 250 primary source documents such as tax lists, city directories, and probate records.

HeritageQuest Online can be accessed remotely only by Troy Public Library card holders. To access HeritageQuest Online from a computer outside the library, Troy patrons only - Click Here - and enter the 14 digit barcode number that appears on the back of your Troy Public Library card.

Jewish Data, one of the largest professionally compiled Jewish genealogical resources of its kind currently available, contains over 100,000 records, including images of tombstones, school yearbook pages and Citizen Declaration documents. New records are added on an ongoing basis.

Jewish Data is available only on computers in the library.

Library staff are able to perform research for people residing outside of our service area for a fee. Fees range from $10 to $25 per hour, depending on the type of research required, and all requests must be made in writing. Please contact the reference department for further information at (518) 274-7071, or complete our Virtual Reference Form.

The Troy Public Library is the local repository for historical and genealogical materials relating to the City of Troy and Rensselaer County, New York. You are welcome to come to the library and make use of our resources. A general description of local history and genealogy resources is available on Troy Public Library's NICHE Web page, which was developed as a result of our participation in the Upper Hudson Library System's Networking Information and Collected History Electronically (NICHE) project.

Other Collections

The Job and Small Business Information Center has reference materials and books to check out on the topics of choosing or preparing for a career, job searching, resume and cover letter writing, interviewing, and career advancement. Also included are civil service examination announcements and job openings, and classified job ads. We maintain a collection of study guides for civil service, military, postal, police, and professional examinations. This collection is located on the first floor of the Main Library, to the left-hand side of the rear staircase.

The Education Center has both reference and circulating materials to assist students in selecting and applying to colleges. The collection includes information on financial aid. Also contained in this section are Adult Education materials, including GED preparation books, and test preparation guides for standardized exams like the SAT, NYS Regent's Exams and the GRE. This collection is located on the first floor of the Main Library, to the left-hand side of the rear staircase.

BE/ESL: The library has a collection of books for adults learning to read, citizenship materials, English as a second language books and audiocassettes, and information and study guides for TOEFL and US Citizenship tests. This collection is located on the first floor of the Main Library, to the left-hand side of the rear staircase.

Online Book Clubs

Book-Clubs-Resource.com provides information about online book clubs and Web-based book discussion groups.

Chapter A Day, a service of Wisconsin Public Radio, provides access to the audio files of the day's chapter, as well as the most recently read chapters, of the books that Chapter A Day program hosts are currently reading. The hosts include Jim Fleming, Karl Schmidt, and Catherine Brand. Listeners can discuss the books and the readings with others through the Chapter A Day Book Club.